


Trying to be better (than we used to be)

by MariaMagica



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Five Years Later, Fluff, Guilt, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, Redemption, SO MUCH FLUFF, a tiny bit of angst, crackship, lol, making up for the past, redeemed echo girl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 12:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14544870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariaMagica/pseuds/MariaMagica
Summary: She was the very last person Yoosung expected to meet again after so long.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> 3 AM and I can’t sleep, looking up pictures of MM.  
> Me: Hey it’s Echo Girl  
> Me: Ugh so childish  
> Brain: Maybe in the future she’d feel bad about what she did  
> Me: Ooh like Yoosung. Yoosung also grows out of it  
> Brain: … What if  
> Me: Wait no  
> Brain: Yoosung x redeemed Echo Girl?  
> Me: No. That makes no sense. That is crazy and I’m going to forget about it.  
> Me after 2000 words: Fuuuuuuuuuuu-
> 
> So yeah. ;;;; I have no excuse for this, I wrote a fic for a total crackpairing. I wrote this a while ago and put it on tumblr, then I actually got requests for more so I decided to put it on AO3 as well. I've planned for this to be a three-chapter story. I hope you will sail this crackship with me! xD

There was something familiar about her. Yoosung knew he had to have seen her before, because her large eyes and wavy brown hair tugged heavily at his brain, which desperately wanted to remember.

Her blue blazer was currently being showered by fur as her poodle did her best to jump as high as possible, more excited than her owner. A poodle which had eaten something they shouldn’t have, which was typical for a young dog. Their reactions were normal too, but Yoosung had trouble finding his voice to send them on their way.

“Was it difficult to remove the ring from Lady’s stomach?” the young woman’s question pulled him out of his thoughts.

 _‘Come on Yoosung, get your shit together,’_ Yoosung thought. She was the last one of the day, he could go home and play some LoLoL. Though he didn’t play it for hours like he used to as a student, it was still his favorite way to unwind.

Putting on his red reading glasses, he scrolled down the dog’s data on his computer. “Not at all, we simply gave her something to make her throw up and…” He wanted to make a joke about her puke being diamonds, as he liked to share terrible jokes, when his eye fell on the name of the poodle’s owner.

_[Kyungju Choi]_

His silence was starting to make her visibly worried. “Well?”

“You’re Echo Girl,” Yoosung said softly, removing his glasses and placing them on the desk. She had tied up her brown hair, exchanged her Sunday dress to a fashionable casual work outfit and her face lost some of its roundness, but it was unmistakably her.

The last time he saw her was at the RFA party where they stopped her from destroying Zen. How scandalized she had been when her plan got ruined. Her expression of shock matched hers back then. “How… do you know?” she asked, after a minute of silence, eyes darting to the door and back to him.

“Your name. I recognize it,” Yoosung confessed.

She narrowed her eyes. “Almost no one knew my real name back then.” Her poodle sat next to her, all smiles and tail wags.

“I had looked it up, together with what other information I could find about you.” He realized he sounded like a stalker, and quickly added: “Y-you accused my friend Zen of sexual harassment some four or five years ago. He asked me to help him.”

Her angry expression faltered as she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh shit, you’re Zen’s friend…!! Oh my fucking God, you must hate me so bad.”

It surprised him to hear her swear so easily. “No no no!” he quickly waved his hands. “I don’t, I really don’t! I-”

The sound of the door opening on badly-oiled hinges interrupted them, his colleague poking her head inside. “Doctor Kim, are you almost done?”

“Y-yes, I will lock up, see you tomorrow,” he promised her, and she waved before leaving. He turned back to Kyungju who bit her lip, hand clenched tight around her dog’s leash, and felt bad for making the situation awkward. He could have just acted dumb about her name.

Just as he was about to, she spoke. “Are… you available for coffee? I would like to explain myself… and apologize, i-if that’s alright with you.”

Yoosung blinked and answered before he could think about it. “Sure.”

***

He doubted bringing her to Jaehee’s café at first but decided that he would need support from the wisest member of the RFA. There was no doubt that Jaehee recognized Echo Girl right away the moment they walked through the door, and he shot her a look that said:  _‘Hi remember Echo Girl she’s actually not evil now don’t kill her for what she did to Zen also I accidentally revealed I know her and we are going to have an awkward talk please help’._

Somehow Jaehee managed to pick all that up and maintained a calm and natural composure behind the counter after serving them their coffee, nodding whenever he looked her way. The white poodle lay dutifully next to their chairs, already napping on her front paws.

Kyungju stirred her coffee many times before she broke the silence. “So… Doctor Kim, how is Zen? If that’s okay to ask.”

“Please, call me Yoosung.” His fingers touched the leather jacket he had hung over his chair, preferring it over the stiff white coat he had to wear for work. “And he’s doing great! Still acting and… you know.”

“Oh. Good, that’s… good.”

Silence. Yoosung took a sip of his espresso and tried not to stare at the table.

She didn’t look up from her drink. “Did you know I swore vengeance… again, after the party? I acted like it was all okay as I performed the musical, but inside I wanted nothing more than to hurt him and Jumin Han and the RFA.”

Chills ran down his spine and he was about to say something when she continued. “However, after that musical, my parents told me my agent and all the sponsors had left me. I was ruined. The paparazzi got so bad, my parents decided to move to Europe. I was furious, of course, I didn’t care about reporters or my reputation, I just wanted payback. In the end… it may have been the smartest choice they made.” She sighed. “Echo Girl was… nothing, not anymore.”

He felt a small pang of guilt. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t,” she said, locking her eyes with his, glaring with the same intensity during that RFA party. “It was my fault. Everything I did was fueled by my crush on Zen, and my parents’ money allowed me to arrange things normal idols couldn’t. I was… well, I guess I was a bitch, to say politely.”

Yoosung was sure she had thought about her actions for a long time. “That is not the word I would use.”

“I would. I can’t believe how much I took for granted being able to act alongside Zen. I took so much for granted. There is no other period in my life that I regret more. It took a while, but I got over my anger. Took some modelling jobs. Met some people who wouldn’t accept my shit and even helped me.” She smiled and Yoosung copied her automatically, glad that it was a real smile instead of an anxious one. “Long story short, when my parents wanted to move back to Korea, I said yes because I missed my home country but… I don’t miss my old self.”

She took a sip from her coffee and put the cup back down with a satisfied sigh. Jaehee’s coffee never disappointed. “I’m surprised you remembered me. No one else seemed to have. I was fine with that.” She looked at Yoosung expectantly, a finger tapping the empty cup. “I’m genuinely sorry for what I did to Zen and to his friends. I can’t ask you to forgive me, but I don’t want anyone else to know who I am. If you want money for your silence, I can arrange that.”

Yoosung’s jaw dropped. “Whoa, it doesn’t have to come to that! Please, I’m sure Zen and the others have forgiven you ages ago. Or at least don’t care anymore.” He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he accepted a bribe. “It’s fine. I have no problem keeping a secret.”

Kyungju took her time, inspecting Yoosung. “You’re a good person, aren’t you?”

That took him off-guard. “Not at all. In fact, I relate to your story more than you think.”

“Oh?”

“You don’t know him but… for the longest time, I also hated someone so much I wanted him to die. It… it was wrong of me to think so.”

An image of a teal-haired man came to mind and he felt queasy. He had accepted that V wasn’t fully to blame for all the terrible things that had happened to the RFA, and surely he could admit V was a kind man. Yet talking about past mistakes so openly rattled him, even after all these years. Suddenly he found himself wondering if things might have gone better had he been wiser, more understanding.

Warm fingers gently touched his hand.

“Hey. It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. I know it’s hard.”

Yoosung hadn’t been aware of his vision blurring. Eyes focusing once more, he wasn’t prepared for Kyungju’s sympathy radiating off her. It was such a stark contrast from who she used to be.

“You’re a better person than I am.”

Her blue eyes went wide, and she pulled her hand back as if she burned it. “Fuck no!” she yelled, causing most people of the café to turn towards them. When they minded their own business again, she repeated herself, face slightly pink. “I’m not. I just… grew up.”

Yoosung chuckled, toying with his reading glasses. “More than me.”

Her face was glowing now. Yoosung could see Jaehee in the corner of his eyes, frowning as she wondered what in the world Yoosung had said. “W-what are you talking about?!” her speech stuttered. The way she held her hands in her lap, unable to look at him straight, Yoosung couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I mean it,” he pushed. “You’re almost a completely different person. I look in the mirror and see a dumb teenager in a grown man’s body, and no one’s discovered it yet.”

“Don’t be dumb, you’ve got a great job and great friends because of who you are,” she pouted angrily, old Echo Girl shining through. “Don’t pull yourself down like that.”

One of the waitresses stopped by, whom Yoosung knew was a student as Jaehee often hired them part-time. “Can I get you lovebirds another coffee?”

Yoosung wasn’t sure who squeaked louder, him or Kyungju. “We’re not!” they both said in unison, confusing the waitress. He coughed. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah, same.” Kyungju said. The waitress smiled and walked off, acting like nothing had happened.

Lady yawned and whined a little, grabbing their attention. “Ah, I should go. I need to feed Lady before she tears the café apart,” Kyungju joked, grabbing her purse.

“I’ll pay,” Yoosung immediately offered.

“Fuck no. I’m a modern woman, I’m paying.”

“I suggested this place. Let me pay for you.”

“I was the one to suggest coffee!”

“Ahem,” said Jaehee, suddenly next to their table. “Might I suggest both paying half?”

Both blushed, Yoosung more so knowing Jaehee was going to grill him once she left. “Y-yeah, that’s a good idea,” Yoosung said, reaching for his wallet.

Money in hand, Jaehee left them alone. Kyungju picked up her purse, getting up slowly.

“I will let Zen know.”

Stars appeared in her eyes, dazzling him. “I’ve always wanted him to know, so thank you. It means the world to me.”

He fiddled with his jacket zipper, staring at Lady who stared back. “I hope I don’t see you again.”

Confusion crossed Kyungju’s face and Yoosung instantly panicked. “I-I mean, not at the clinic! I wouldn’t want to see Lady at the clinic! Wait, I mean-” He facepalmed with both hands. Was he really an adult?

Only when he heard her giggle did he dare look through his fingers. “I can’t guarantee Lady won’t eat anything strange.” She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “But I’m glad something good came out of it. I’ll see you around.”

She waved goodbye, heading out with Lady in tow. Strangely, he felt a little somber. Yoosung watched her go and wasn’t aware of another person seating themselves across him until he heard them.

“You’re right, she is a different person.”

He nearly jumped out of his chair. “Jaehee!” he yelled at the café owner who raised an eyebrow. “You heard?”

“Everything.” She raised another eyebrow, chin resting on her hands. “You two seemed rather friendly from the get go.”

He shrugged. “She’s nice and she happened to bring her dog in. I will probably never see her again.”

“I very much doubt that.”

Yoosung cocked his head. “Well, I suppose dogs tend to eat strange stuff a lot, but I’m not the only vet in the city.”

Jaehee let out the loudest snort. “I don’t think she wants another vet. Tell her I’ve got new latte flavors soon, she might like them.”

Before Yoosung could question what that meant, Jaehee got up, leaving him to scratch his head.


	2. Chapter 2

_4:45 PM._  She sighed as she held her phone in the air, time telling her how little she had done today. A soft whine and the scratching of nails came from beside her bed, Lady insisting that she needed to go out for a walk.

“Yes, yes. Gimme a minute to get ready,” she responded, pushing herself off her bed, blowing wavy hair out of her face. Lady didn’t seem to care for her owner’s prep time, running in circles in the hope time would go faster. Long used to her poodle’s antics, Kyungju dropped her phone on the desk next to her wardrobe.

It was right then a new notice popped up on her screen. She expected another meme from the chatroom with her overseas friends, but it was an e-mail. An e-mail with a particularly unexpected sender that made her swipe it away.

“Mom!” she yelled towards her open door while she attempted to brush out the creases in her dress so it didn’t look like she used them as pajamas. “Did you give the agent from Heart & Seoul Models my private email address?”

The gentle tapping of heels on marble followed, her mother’s shadow cast on the cream-colored wall. “Of course, I did dear! Why wouldn’t I?”

She groaned. “What the fuck, mom?!”

“Kyungju Choi, I told you to stop swearing!”

“And I told you, I don’t want these agents to be able to contact me!” Irritated, she brushed her hair down with her hands. Lady followed her every move, doing her best for constant attention.

“I don’t know why you’re so against becoming an idol again. You were so successful last time.”

She nearly lost balance, putting on her blazer and trying to win the argument. “I don’t want that anymore! It ended in a bunch of really bad bullshit, or did you somehow forget that we moved to Europe?”

“You made a mistake that you’re not going to make again. Your father and I agree that you need to be doing something other than loafing about and taking the odd modelling job. Or did you plan on finding a rich man and marrying him?”

“No!” Kyungju yelled. “God mom, I can’t believe you’re still suggesting that!”

Now properly dressed, she slipped her phone in her pants pocket and eyed the unpacked moving boxes in the corner as she left her room, making her way to the stairs in the hallway. Her mother stood on the ground floor, wearing a frilly apron, the only sign she was a housewife - unlike her hair in a tight bun and a face full of bold make-up. Kyungju glared as she ran down, but her mother had always been better in the glaring game. Lady hopped down the stairs, tail wagging from the noise they produced, noise she saw as fun and exciting like all noise really.

“God blessed you with a beautiful body and you’re wasting it,” her mom continued to nag as Kyungju tugged on her boots and jacket. “You may not have been able to charm that albino boy, but he’s young and poor - there’s plenty of older, richer, more interested men you should be aiming for.”

She couldn’t stand hearing more. “I can make it on my own, just give me time to figure out how. Come Lady,” she beckoned, and her poodle obeyed, trotting along while Kyungju grabbed the leash off the coat hook. “I’ll see you tonight mom,” she said, leaving her home for the city streets.

Her mother was merciful and closed the door behind her without another word. Kyungju sighed while Lady sniffed every possible corner and tree she could find, running back when she was called, allowing herself to be leashed. The fluffy ball of energy proceeded to pull Kyungju along the pavement while she pondered.

Her mother was making too big a deal out of this. They just moved here, surely she was going to find something, a job she could be proud of and that had nothing to do with Echo Girl. She nodded while pouting, ignoring the confused face the woman passing her made.

Rush hour had ended, and the once crowded streets slowly found silence as employees and students ran into their homes for dinner and relaxation. Kyungju turned the corner and ended up in a small shopping centre where everyone was closing up. At the end of the plaza Kyungju spotted the small building with illustrated cats and dogs on the windows, a sight that brightened her mood instantly.

 _Yoosung’s clinic._  It wasn’t actually Yoosung’s clinic, he was just one of the vets working there, but in her mind it was. Conveniently close to her house, she had rushed Lady there - best idea she ever had. For once she was glad Lady was such a glutton.

Through the glass, she saw the blond behind the counter, busy with a customer, his red glasses nearly on the top of his nose while looking down. He’s cute, she thought. Against all of her expectations, Yoosung was understanding and warm. She smiled and began to walk over eagerly, feeling like Lady about to get a treat.

Guilt struck her, making her halt. Lady tried to run ahead and strained against the leash a few times before giving up and sitting down, scratching herself.

Kyungju bit her lip, continuing to stare at Yoosung who had no idea she was out here. Tempted as she was to enter the clinic and come up with some excuse to ask Yoosung out for an official coffee date, she couldn’t justify it. Yoosung was around her age and had his shit together better than her. No doubt her mom would be very pleased to know her daughter planned to hit it off with a doctor. An animal doctor, not that that would stop mother from counting in paychecks.

What was she even thinking? With a history like hers, it wasn’t right for her to ask him out. His friends, her parents, possibly even him, they’d all get the wrong idea. She had gotten a crush on another RFA member. What if she was responsible for causing a rift between Yoosung and the RFA?

_And surely a guy like Yoosung must have a girlfriend as sweet as him already._

She spun around, fully intent on marching back to her house, only to be met with a man who obstructed her entire view. Startled, she took a few steps back. The man wore a typical gray office suit and his balding head was shiny from all the gel. His eyes widened as his amazement grew upon staring at her, dropping his suitcase next to his feet.

“Erm… Can I help you?” Kyungju asked.

“Echo Girl!” the man exclaimed in joy, clapping his hands together. “I can’t believe it’s really you! It’s me, Ben! I was- no, am!- your biggest fan, I used to send you a letter every month. Do you remember?”

 _Shit._  “Ah… Not really. My agent let interns open the fanmail, I… didn’t.” Unpaid interns, she remembered. She didn’t want to bother with anything that wasn’t Zen back then.

Ben blinked at her. “What do you mean, you sent me replies back! They even had cute signatures! I really felt like we connected!”

“Automated reply letters,” Kyungju answered sheepishly.

“And the personalized autographed photo?”

“A copy. And the signature was never mine.”

Kyungju felt Lady paw at her ankles. Ben seemed lost, brows furrowing as he processed this new information. “I don’t… I don’t understand! We didn’t have something special back then? Why?”

“Because I didn’t care about anyone except me back then. Surely you must have read the scandal about me.”

The middle-aged man shook his head. “The magazines reported something, but it seemed more like a typical idol scandal. But then you disappeared. The fan club assumed you abandoned us.”

“It’s true, I did.” Better he knew now she was garbage. “It’s okay if you’re mad.”

His face completely fell. “I can’t believe this. I thought you had maybe some kind of family crisis and would come back in the future. I was hoping for your come-back! And then I could genuinely claim I am the number one fan!”

Lady reacted to his anger, growling as loud as a tiny poodle could. “God, I shouldn’t have wasted so much time on someone like you! Do you know how many you fooled with the fake crap you sold them? Was your singing even genuine or autotuned?”

“It was real,” she said, cruel words crash making her heart hurt. Lady was barking now, causing other shopkeepers to peer through their windows.  _Damn it_ , she swore quietly.

He jabbed a finger, nearly poking her chest. “Real my ass! You are supposed be pure, kind-”

“Hey!” came a sudden new voice, and they both turned towards the man with glaring purple eyes standing next to her. When had Yoosung snuck up on them?

Turned out Yoosung can be very intimidating, Kyungju discovered. His hands were clenched and his posture, wider from the white coat he wore, made him look ready to attack. The sweet, soft boy image of him she harbored since last time was nowhere to be found and she didn’t know whether to be fascinated or terrified. “What are you doing?!”

Ben bristled. “What am I doing? I’m giving this fake piece of shit what she deserves, that’s what!”

“How dare you talk to her like that - she’s still a human being!” Yoosung yelled back at him.

“It’s alright,” Kyungju said to Yoosung, who had moved in front of her, partially blocking her view of the angry fan. “I don’t mind, he has the right to.”

“Don’t say that!” Yoosung whirled around, expression equal parts anger and shock. “Kyungju, you can’t let him treat you like this!”

“Why not?” She bit back. “It’s true what he’s saying, isn’t it?”

“Why does that matter?!” He said, before pinching the bridge of his nose, calming down considerably. “I mean, yes, you did some bad things in the past. I don’t think anyone would dispute that.” He sighed, shoulders drooping. “But it’s obvious you’re genuinely sorry for what you’ve done. Letting yourself get verbally abused like this isn’t helping anyone. Why didn’t you tell him what you told me?” He gestured towards Ben, who stared at them considerably confused.

“This is different. He doesn’t know me.”

Yoosung gently took hold of her shoulders, and she recognized the same comforting gesture she gave him in the café. “Neither did I really, before we met. And even then, I was impressed by you. Everyone else would be too, if they knew. I’m sure of it.”

The dam she didn’t know she had inside her burst. Her eyes started to well up. Embarrassed, she rubbed them vigorously with the palm of her hand, feeling the heat of her cheeks. “Why are you so sweet?” she asked with a small pout. “I don’t deserve that kindness.”

“Of course you do. One day I’ll make you believe it.” Suddenly shy, he let go and blushed a little, aware of what he had said. Kyungju couldn’t help but giggle.

The sound of shoes scuffing the pavement brought about the startling reminder that they were never alone. Ben was still next to them, lost and hands raised awkwardly.

“Err…” he started.

“Look,” Kyungju intercepted, turning to him and clapping her hands together. “I can’t change the past and give you back your lost time. But I am genuinely sorry, and I have changed. I won’t be performing anymore.”

Ben returned to rage mode. “What does sorry do for me?! Do you think just cuz you’ve got a cute face that I’m going to forgive you?”

Kyungju grimaced. How long was this guy going to go on before she would have to threaten him? “I’m not asking for your forgiveness.”

“You should, because I’m done with you! It’s over!!” he yelled, grabbing his suitcase, walking off with his nose in the air. “Goodbye forever!”

Ben marched off, leaving the two blinking at the sudden turn. He had left the street before Kyungju and Yoosung grasped what had just happened, picking up the jaws that had dropped off. Then, she heard Yoosung attempt to muffle his snickers and before she knew it, they both laughed in unison.

“Wow, did you have to deal with his type all the time? I would go crazy,” Yoosung replied after he calmed down.

“Not all the time, thankfully.” Kyungju let out a sigh of relief. “Thanks Yoosung, I appreciate it.”

“No worries, when I saw you and that asshole outside, I couldn’t hold myself back.” Bashful, Yoosung scratched the back of his head.

 _How does he switch from scary to adorable so fast?_  Kyungju wondered. “I’m sorry for distracting you from your work.”

“We were closing up, so it’s fine. But what brings you back here again?”

“I live close by. And I, eh, I decided to pass by while walking Lady,” Kyungju admitted, blushing more.

“It’s good to see you still healthy! Haven’t been eating anything weird, have you?” Yoosung said as he bent down to pat Lady, who jumped to try to put her paws up as high as she could on Yoosung’s clean pants.

With things having calmed down, Kyungju followed Yoosung to his clinic, waiting inside while he locked up, his co-workers waving at them just like last time. She waved back as Lady chewed on her leash in boredom.

“Oh, Jaehee asked me to tell you that her café has new latté flavors. Maybe you’d like to try them?” Yoosung asked while he changed from his doctor’s coat to his leather jacket.

“Jaehee?”

“Ah, she’s my friend and the café owner. The café we went to last time.”

 _Is he asking me out?_  Kyungju thought, feeling the temperature rise. “Ah, sure, I’d love to try them. But won’t your girlfriend get annoyed with you hanging out with me?” she asked, instantly regretting how obvious she was.

Yoosung grabbed his keys on top of the front desk. “Girlfriend? I don’t think so, seeing as I don’t have one.” He shrugged, leading Kyungju to the front door.

It was hard for Kyungju not to let out any of the high-pitched squealing in her head. “Then, of course!”

“Great! I’m sure Jaehee would love your opinion on them,” Yoosung said enthusiastically, locking up the clinic behind them.

Kyungju wondered on whether this was a date or not. “Okay, but only if you choose a latte for me.”

“But… What if I choose something you don’t like?”

“I’m sure I will like anything you pick.” Kyungju smiled, Lady trotting by her side as they began to walk.

“You have varied taste, that’s good! I can be a bit picky sometimes,” Yoosung replied, placing his hands in his jacket pockets, practically beaming happiness.

Kyungju had a feeling Yoosung wasn’t getting it. But, either way, she was content being with him, at his side, feeling more comfortable than ever.


End file.
